Garbage incinerator



June 23, 1931.

M. REESE GARBAGE INC INERATOR Filed May 1928 2 sheets-Sheet an R v? aFiled May 5, 1928 ,2 Sheet-Sheet 2 (LL/v Patented June 23, 1931 PATENTOFFICE DAVID m. REESE, or DES MOINES, IOWA GARBAGE INCINERATORApplication filed May 3,

The principal object of this invention is to providena device fordisposing of waste matter such as garbage and the like, by dehydrationand combustion.

More specifically the object of this invention is to provide a garbageincinerator having a plurality of slowly moving endless grates on whichthe waste matter is first dried, to remove the volatile products fromthe charge and then subjected to fire which reduces the solid portionsto an ash.

A further ob ect of my invention is to pro-.

vide a garbage incinerator that tears up or otherwise disintegrates themass of waste before it reaches the cremating zone.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a garbageincinerator that utilizes the heat from the ashes to dehydrate theoncoming waste matter.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a garbageincinerator that is capable of adjustment relative to the speed ofmovement of the endless grates.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a garbageincinerator that has air forced into its burning zone and is odorless inoperation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a garbageincinerator having adjusting means for compensating for the contractionand expansion of the moving grates while in operation.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contcm platedare attained as hereinafter more Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of thegarbage incinerator taken on line 3-3 of Fig.

1928. Serial No. 274,780.

1 and illustrates the driving mechanism of the device.

Fig. 4 is across sectional view of my invention taken on line 4-4 ofFig. 1 and shows the position of the endless grates and oil burner.

The-disposing of garbage is very costly due to the fact that it issubjected to fire in its original wet condition. It is-known thatgarbage consists of about one third wet paper, one third vegetableoffal, such as leaves, peelings, trimmings and decayed matter, and thebalance is composed of meat scraps,.bones, package paper and the like.This means that approximately sevent percent of ordinary garbage iscombustib e material and if properly-distributed is suflicient'to dryand incinerate the whole mass. This I have practically accomplished byfirst cutting the garbage into small particles, drying the 7 "garbage ofall volatile matter by the heat from the burning solid matter, andforcing air into the cremating housing. As an ai to this and forstarting and more quickly cremating the garbage I use a small oilburner. j

I have used the numeral 10 to designate the cremating housing made ofsheet metal or the like and designed to rest on a floor or othersuitable support. The numeral 11 designates a hopper having the opening12. Rotatably mounted in this hopper is the shaft 13 carrying thetearing and breaking hammers 14. Mounted in the bottom portion of thehopper is the perforated member '15 through which 'the garbage that isbroken up into small particles passes. Communicating with the bottomportion of the hopper 11 below the member 15, and the top portion of thecremating housing 10 is the enclosed trough 16. Rotatably mounted ineach end of this trough is a shaft 17 and 18, respectively. Permanentlysecured to each of these shafts and inside the trough are sprocketwheels19. Embracing these sprocket wheels is the endless'chainconveyor-20 for carrying the garbage f-romthe hopper to the top portionof the housing 10, as shown in Fig. 3.

Rotatablymounted in thetop portion of the housing 10 adjacent the trough16 is the shaft 21 carrying the sprocket wheels 22. Slidably mounted ineach side of the housing 10 and in the same plane as the shaft 21, is abearing member 23. Secured to each of these bearing members and passingthrough a lug 24 on each side of the housing 10, is a threaded rod 25.Threaded onto each end of these rods is a nut 26. By this arrangementthe movement of the bearing members may be limited in one direction.Rotatably mounted in these two bearing members is the shaft 27 carryingthe sprocket wheels 28. Embracing the sprocket wheels 22 and 28 is theendless chain grate 29, designed to receive the garbage from theconveyor 20. The projection 30 integrally formed on the bottom portionof the trough 16 is designed to guide the garbage from the conveyor 20onto the endless grate. Rotatably mounted in the bottom portion of thehousing 10 and adjacent the trough end is the shaft 31 carrying thesprocket wheels 32. Slidably mounted in each side of the housing, in therear portion and in the same plane as the shaft 31, is a hearing member33. Secured to each of these bearing members and passing through a. lug34 on each side of the housing 10, is a threaded rod 35 having on itsfree end a nut 36. Rotatably mounted in these two bearing members is theshaft 37 carrying the sprocket wheels 38. Embracing the sprocket wheels32 and 38 is the endless chain grate 39, designed to receive thegar bagefrom the rate 29. It is upon this grate 39 that the gar age is burned.It should here be noted that in order that the grate 29 can deposit thegarbage on the grate 39, the last mentioned grate is the longest.

Secured to the shaft 21 against relative movement thereto and on theoutside of the housing 10 is the ratchet wheel 40. The numeral 41designates a similar .wheel secured to the shaft 31. Rotatably mountedon the shaft 21 and embracing the ratchet wheel is the operating arm 42secured to which is the dog 43 capable of engaging the teeth on theratchet wheel 40. The numeral 44 designates a leaf spring secured to thearm and designed to yieldingly hold the dog 43 111 engagementwith theteeth of the ratchet wheel 40. Rotatably mounted on the shaft 31 andembracing the ratchet wheel 41 is the operating arm 45 secured to whichis the dog 46 capa 1e of engaging the teeth 'on the ratchet wheel 41.The numeral 47 designates a leaf spring secured to the arm 45 designedto yieldingly hold the dog 46 in engagement with the teeth on theratchet wheel 41. Integrally formed on the bottom of the enclosed trough16 is, the hot airdistributing pan 49 communicating with the inside ofthe housing 10 at a point just below the top portionof the conveyor 20.Communicating with the -bottomportion of this pan and .the inside ofthe'housi'ng 10 at a point below the .from the ashes 54 in the bottomofthe housing 10 will pass up under the trough 16 and 'then back into theupper portion ofthe housing, thereby heating the trough member andpartially drying thegarbage before it enters the housing 10. y u Thegate valves 52 and 53'make it-possible to regulate theamount, if any, ofheat passing up under thetrough 16 and also makes it possible toregulate the amount of cool air to be mixed with the'warm air.

Secured by suitable means to the pan 49 is the bearing member 54, whilethe numeral 55 designates a second bearing member secured by suitablemeans to the pan 49 and the housing 10 as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. Journaled in these bearing members is the shaft 56; mounted upon which isthe pulley wheel 57. Permanently secured to one end of the shaft 56 isthe wheel 58 having the radial slot 59. Rotatably mounted in this slotis the screw 60 threaded through the member 61 slidably mounted in theslot 59. By this construction if the screw 60 is rotated the member 61will be moved toward or away from the center of the wheel 58. Having oneend pivoted to the member 61 and its other end slidably and rotatablysecured to the two arms 42 and 45, as shown. in Figs. 1 and 2, is thelink 62. By this arrangement if the shaft 56 is rotated the arms 42 and45 will be reciprocated and the endless grates 29 and 39 will slowly berotated. Theirispeed, relative to the speed of rotation of the shaft 56may beregulated by adjusting the screw 60.

The numerals 63 and 64 designate two sprocket wheels secured to theshafts 18 and 21, respectively. Embracingv these two sprocket wheels isthe endless chain 65, thereby operatively connecting the conveyor 20 tothe endless chain grate 29. Secured to the shaft 56 is the pulley wheel66 of much greater diameter than the pulley ,wheel 67 on the shaft 13.The numeral 68 designates an endless belt around the pulley wheels 66and 67. By the pulley Wheel 67 being smaller than the pulley Wheel 66,the hammers 14 will be rotated at a great speed.

I have designated the prime mover ofomy device by the numeral 69 havingthe driving shaft 70. Secured on this driving shaft isthe pulley wheel71 and is of less diameter than thediameter of the pulley wheel 57.Embracing the pulley wheels'57 and.71 is the endless belt 72. By thisarrangement the prime mover will make several revolutions toonerevolution of the shaft 56. The numeral 7 3 designates a centrifugal fanhousing communicating with the air tank 74. Inside the fan housing and.secured to the driving shaft is a centrifugal fan (not shown). Thenumeral designates an air pipe leading from the air tank and extendingalong the right hand side of the housing 10. This air pipe has four pipeconnections leading into the housing 10, two of which are just above thegrate 29 and two of which are just above the grate 39, as shown in Fig.1 and Fig. 4. The numeral 7 6 designates a second pipe leading from theair tank and extending along the left hand side of the housing 10. Thislast mentioned pipe has also four pipe connections leading into thehousing 10, two of which are just above the grate 29 and two of whichare just above the grate 39. When the device is in operation these pipesfurnish the proper amount of air for the successful burning of thegarbage. The numerals 77 designate air holes in the side of the housing10 to furnish air under the grates 29 and 39.

The numeral 78 designates doors in the housing 10 through which thegarbage ash is removed.

The numeral 79 designates an ordinary oil burner extending through .theopenings 80 in the side of the housing 10 and so located that the samewill throw a flame up and through the upper portion of the endless grate39 as shown in Fig. 4. This oil burner is controlled by the usual needlevalves 81, and gets its liquid fuel from the supply tank 82 which issupported at a greater height than the oil burner by a suitable support83. This tank may easily be replenished with oil fuel by removing thefilling cap 84.

I have used the numeral 85 to designate a chimney having the opening 86near its bottom through which air may pass. Having one end communicatingwith the inside of the housing 10 at a point near its top and the insideof the chimney 85 is the large smoke pipe 87. By this arrangement allsmoke, odor and combustible gas will burn up on coming in contact withthe clean air passing through the chimney through the opening 86, assmoke and gas are due to insuflicient air for proper combustion.

I have used the numeral 88 to designate a baffle plate inside the hopper11 to guide the broken up garbage onto the conveyor 20. The numeral 89designates two baflle' lates inside the housing 10 to prevent any unurned garbage from falling into the bottom of the housing from the sidesof the endless grate 39. i

From the foregoing it will be noted that when the motor 69 isfunctioning, the hammers 14, the endless conveyor 20, the centrifugalfan, the grate 29 and the grate 39 will be rotating.

The practical operation of the complete device is as follows: Thegarbage to be reduced to an ash is placed in the hopper 11 where it isbroken and chopped up into pieces capable of passing through theperforated member 15 from which it falls onto the conveyor 20. Theconveyor 20 slowly carries the broken garbage (which in such brokencondition is easily dried and burned) up and into the upper portion ofthe housing :10. During this procedure, heat from the ashes in thebottom of the housing 10 is passing up under the trough portion 16thereby partially drying the garbage before the same-enters thecremating housing 10. The garbage is then allowed to fall on the slowlymoving grate 29 where it is thoroughly dried by heat from the burninggarbage on the slowly moving grate 39. From the grate 29 the garbagefalls on the grate 39 where it is burned, and the ashes deposited in thebottom of the housing 10. The burning of the garbage on the grate 39 isaided by the oil burner 9. The air pipes 7 5 and 7 6 furnish sufficientair under pressure to assure proper combustion. It will be found that assoon as the complete device get hot the grates will expand and be tooloose for proper functioning This ex-- pansionis easily compensated forby tight-- ening the nuts 26 and 36. As soon as the device ceases tooperate, these nuts of course should be loosened. After the device hasbeen operating for a few minutes the ,oil burner may be turned on lowflame and little if any fuel oil will be nceessaryas the garbage willalmost burn itself. If it is desired the complete device may be madeportable by mounting it on suitable wheels.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of myimproved garbage inclnerator without departing from the real spirit andpurpose of my invention and it is my intention to cover by my claims anymodified forms of structure or use of .mechanical equivalents which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a cremating housing, grates insaid housing, a hopper, an enclosed trough having one, end communicatingwith the bottom of said hopper audits other end communicating withtheupper portion of said housing, a hot-air distributing pan embracingthe bottom of said trough having its upper end communicating with theinside upper portion of'said housing, a pipe leading from said cremating1 housing to said pan, and a means forregulating the amount of hot airpassing through said pipe.

2. In a device of the class described, a cre mating housing, a. troughmember through which the waste material must pass in entering saidhousing, a hot air distributing pan embracing said trough member havingits side of the first mentioned pipe and its other end communicatingwith the outside atmosphere, and a valve in each of said pipes.

' and its other end communicating with the.

3. In a device of the class described, a cremating housing, an elongatedtrough communicatin with the inside of said cremating housing, throughwhich the garbage to be burned passes, a hot air distributing panembracing the bottom of said trough having its upper end communicatingwith the inside of said housing, and a pipe leading from the saidcremating housing for transferring heated air to said pan for dryinggarbage passing through said trough.

4. In a device of the class described, a cremating housing, a hopper, anelongated trough extending at an angle to the vertical, having one endcommunicating with the bottom of said hopper and its other endcommunicating with the upper portion of said housing, a hot airdistributing pan embracing the bottom of said trough, having its upperend communicating with the upper portion of the said cremating housing,and a pipe leading from the lower portion of said cremating housing tothe lower portion of said pan. g

5. In a device of the class described, a cremating housing, a hopper, ashaft rotatably mounted in said hopper, breaking and chopping hammerssecured on said shaft, an elongated trough extendingat an angle to thevertical, having one end communicating with the bottom of said hopperand its other end communicating with the upperportion of said housing, ahot air distributin pan embracing the bottom of said troug havingportion of said pan.

a means for supplying air under pressure into said cremating housing.

8. In a device of the class described, a cremating housing, a hopper, aplurality of endless chain grates in'said housing one above the other, ameans for rotating said grates, an elongated trough extending at anangle to the vertical, having one end communicating with the bottom ofsaid hopper and its other end communicating with the upper portion ofsaid housing, a hot air distributing pan embracing the bottom of saidtrough, having its upper end communicating with the upper portion of thesaid cremating housing, and a pipe leading from the lower portion ofsaid cremating housing to the lower DAVID M. REESE,

portion of the said cremating housing, and a pipe'leading from the lowerportion of said cremating housing to the lower portion of. said pan.

6. In a device of the class described, a cremating housing, a hopper, ashaft rotatably mounted in said hopper, hammers on saidv shaft, anelongated trough extending at an angle to the vertical having one endcom; municating with the bottom of said hopperupper portion of saidhousing, a perforated member in said hopper located below said hammersand above the point where said, trough communicates with the bottom ofsaid. hopper, a hot air distributing pan embracing.

end communicatin with the upper portion of said cremating ousing, and apipe lead ing from thelower portion of saidicremating housing to the loer portion otsald' Pan, 7. In a device of the class described, acre-Q.mating housing, a hopper, an elongated the bottom of said trough havingits .upperk

